‘How did my father know I was going to remain alive, and I wouldn’t be killed with them.’‘How did he know I would eventually come back to take over Aurelius.’‘What had made him sure that I would find that tape.’ All this thoughts ran through Eli’s head as he sat across from Selene in her house.The air felt different than the first time he had been here, like the joyful and happy mood had been replaced with a sense of foreboding.Even the house keepers spoke in whispers, their steps heavy, like they had experienced something of this sort in the past and they didn't know what to make of it.‘I have started to make your presence known in Aurelius, and also let them know you are coming to take over.” She was saying, her voice calm.‘There were some disagreements of course, but majority of the people seem to agree that since you are Leonhart's son and I have promised to take responsibility if anything goes bad, then you can take over as the head, afterall it was what Leonhart would have

Elara settled on her couch, groaning silently as she looked at her mother, who sat some metres away from her watching TV. She didn't want to admit it, but she was missing Eli. Now this wasn’t because she suddenly realized how much she loved him after he had gone, No!!. She was missing him because the work needed to do at home had increased since he left, no more home cooked meals waiting for her when she got home, with him ready to do all her bidding, despite how tired he might be.Now, her mother helped with the chores every now and then, and there were days when she would have food ready before Elara arrived, but today wasn’t part of those days, which was putting Elara in a mood. She had thought so many times of calling Eli, to tell him how much she needed him back, but she didn’t want to be the first to fold.When she had first sent him out, she had expected him to come crawling back to her in a few days, and she had been bothered and wondered how she was going act, but after some

He had spent that morning cementing the evidence Selene had been able to gather, making plans and going through plans they had made. Selene had said it was best they strike at night, which he had agreed to, Their guards would be down, defences low.He watched as the Sun settled into a dark purplish grey, a smile forming on his face as he sent a text to Selene telling her he was ready. She had left earlier for something urgent, he hadn't asked what, because he didn't feel like he needed to.He felt his pulse begin to race as he stepped out of his house into the dark night. He had kept the outside light on purpose, making him feel safe and invisible.Selene did not come inside. She watched him go from the front window, then retreated to the driver’s seat of a nondescript black sedan and folded herself into the leather with deliberate casualness. They had come to the decision of her going with him, but staying out of sight, but being present as his silent support. When Eli slid behind th

The drive home was a blur of headlights and shadows, Eli grateful that he had learnt how to drive a car, and the fact that Selene had listened to him, dismissing the driver and car she had hired, buying one they could use while in Rome. He still couldn’t shake off the feeling of everybody working against them. Eli had dialed Selene’s number so many times his thumb had gone numb, but it was always the same result—straight to voicemail, her voice absent, only the cold mechanical message waiting on the other end.He wished he had stopped her when she had walked out of his office or told her he was coming along, but he knew that was only thinking, there was no way she would have listened, after all she was way older than him, and she would have told him she was fine. Not like any of them had known she wasn’t going to be returning anytime soon. He didn’t want to think of it, constantly reminding himself that this wasn’t the first time that Selene would disappear like this, moving into cor

Eli watched the sky from the balcony of Leonhart’s study, watching as the clouds got thicker and heavier like it was ready to pour out the water it held, his hands gripping the rail until the cold metal bit into his skin.Three days.That was how long the report had been ready. Three days since the lab sent him the message: “Your results are available for collection.”And still, the envelope sat behind a counter somewhere downtown, untouched, waiting.He should’ve gone. He told himself that every morning. He would pace the floor, look at the clock, even pick up his car keys once, twice, before putting them down again.Because what if it said the truth? What if Victor was truly his brother? What if, after all the chaos, all the blood and deception, Victor was truly really the heir and Victor had been right about Selene using him?Or worse — what if the result confirmed he wasn’t a Leonhart at all, and Victor was just playing all of them, sucking Aurelius dry?He rubbed at his temple, f